


Give and Take

by daesiren



Category: Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi
Genre: Kisa is that one friend everyone needs, M/M, Onodera and Takano need to sort themselves out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6308890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daesiren/pseuds/daesiren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Onodera Ritsu and Takano Masamune. Those at Marukawa Publishing who knew of their relationship, if it could be labeled as something so simple, would say that they were a prime example of opposites attracting. They would say that they were two people who had very different views on dealing with authors and coworkers, yet who still managed to make their personal life work.</p>
<p>They would be wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give and Take

"Onodera."

The voice calling him is familiar. He's heard it rough from misuse in the morning, raised and authoritative in the glow of the early evening, shouting at him that he wouldn't, couldn't, let him run away this time.

_'I'm not losing you again.'_

More recently, he's heard it moaning his name in the dark of night.

He turns, meets brown eyes with challenging directness, speaks politely as is required by his workplace and their respective positions.

"What is it, Takano-san?"

"Mutou's storyboard needs to be revised by nine tonight. You were more than five hours late with your last project, so be sure to keep on top of this one."

"That wasn't my fault!" Onodera protests, and really, it wasn't. He can still remember the feeling of his head hitting the back of the door _(why was it always the door?)_ when Takano had swept into his apartment after a particularly stressful publishing cycle and kissed him, all rush and want and fire.

"Regardless, please make sure it's done on time."

"Yes, of course."

That night, when Onodera heads home, Takano comes with him.

They exit the elevator and walk to Onodera's apartment, all tension and unspoken thoughts.

Before he even processes that he has unlocked the door, Onodera feels Takano's hand on his arm, pulling him inside. He finds himself pressed up against the door. Hears a dull thud as it closes behind him.

Then Takano is slipping both their coats off and pressing his lips to Onodera's, slipping his hands around his waist, slipping his tongue into his mouth. Onodera struggles for a few seconds but quickly deems it futile. He isn't surprised anymore.

This time, he doesn't push Takano away. Wraps his arms, instead, around the other man's shoulders. Lets out a breathy little thing of a moan as Takano presses their bodies together.

He comes to work the next day, sore and a little tired, with Takano trailing behind him. Kisa greets him with a coffee and a knowing smile, but there's something a little different to the way he says good morning that has Onodera looking up from the copy of the last manga he helped edit.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"No, not with me."

The other editor's answer only serves to further pique Onodera's curiosity.

"Kisa-san, if there is something that you want to tell me, please feel free to let me know."

His friend sighs, clearly contrived. "I'm not sure if you would be happy to hear what I have to say."

"Regardless, I would like to know."

There is a pause. Onodera can practically hear Kisa deciding whether to continue with what he was going to say.

"Rittie, does Takano-san make you happy?"

Onodera splutters, nearly chokes on his coffee. "What are you talking - ?!"

Stops himself mid-sentence, really thinks about it. Feels the same inexplicable emptiness that comes with the absence of the fire of Takano's lips against his own.

"Yes." But it sounds unsure, wavers, even to his own ears.

"Kissing him makes me happy." He admits, more quietly, and this time it rings true.

Kisa hums thoughtfully. "Do you feel that you're getting as much as you're giving?"

"Yes, of course!" Onodera protests, feeling the need to protect Takano. It comes out more defensively than he expected.

"Physically _and_ mentally?"

"...Yes." But even as the word leaves his lips, Onodera remembers.

He remembers the many times he's had work due and has delayed it because he's found himself pinned under Takano on the floor of his apartment, on the bed of Takano's, against the wall of the elevator.

He remembers the nights he's pushed the other man away, voice raised in distress and anger and -

\- and fear. Fear of what they might become if he let himself fall -

He remembers Takano walking in after one of those nights, haggard, with dark bags under his eyes, looking as though he hadn't slept an hour all night.

Some of his thoughts must have showed on his face because when he comes back to himself, Kisa's smile is far too gentle.

"When Yukina and I first started going out, I thought he didn't care about me because whenever I was busy with work and had to cancel one of our dates, he would say that it was fine, that maybe we could catch each other next time. I didn't realize until later that that was just him being considerate of me, my work, and my exhaustion levels."

Kisa glances sideways at his friend from where he has started to work on his story board as he talks.

"You know, Ri-chan, I thought at my age, there couldn't possibly be anything else I could learn about relationships, but I was wrong. Consideration for each other is important, on the part of both parties."

Onodera feels like everything around him is shaky. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

They go back to their respective editing projects, Onodera still reeling from what the other editor told him.

Night falls, and before Onodera knows it, he, Takano, and Kisa are the only ones left in the office, and the latter is getting up to leave.

"Hey, Ri-chan."

"Yes?" He replies, a little surprised that the other man is addressing him again. They had already been talking quite a bit that day.

"It's your life, yeah?"

It's not intoned exactly like a question, and then Kisa is disappearing out the door with a wave and a "Bye Takano-san! Bye Ritsu! Good work today!" Tossed over his shoulder.

"See you tomorrow." Takano calls after him, and then they are alone.

"Let's go." Takano says, taking Onodera's hand and pulling him towards the elevator.

"Wait."

Onodera pulls his hand away. Takano, surprised, is left to drop his to his side.

"Shouldn't you be asking me if I have any work to do first?"

"Do you?" Takano's brows crease in confusion.

"...No, but I'm sure you do! Hell week is coming up in less than a month, right?" Even he can hear how desperate he sounds.

"Onodera." Takano cups the other man's cheek gently, and Onodera flushes in spite of himself, wanting hopelessly to believe the care behind his boss's touch. "I don't have any work to do tonight."

An hour later, Onodera finds himself on his back on the bed of Takano's apartment, lips moving against Takano's own as the other man unbuttons his shirt, slips it off.

"You know I love you." Takano says, and Onodera thinks it sounds almost like a reassurance.

He lets Takano kiss him again rather than answering, lets out a shaky exhale as the other man's lips trail down his neck. Cries out when Takano bites down on the skin where his shoulder joins its base.

_"Mine."_ The emotion in Takano's voice as he breathes that one syllable against the other man's pulse is close enough to love that Ritsu lets himself fall.

"Yours." He agrees. Exhales the word on a ragged breath. Pulls Takano's head back up gently so he can kiss him again.

He knows, long term, that they likely would not work out, that Kisa probably has a point. For now, though, Takano's murmured praises are filling the room, and it is almost enough.

It will be good enough.

**Author's Note:**

> This is not meant to be the depiction of a healthy relationship. I believe that what is between Takano and Onodera, while there is some form of love behind it, is more of a longing than love itself, for something that is almost right, close enough that both people involved can convince themselves it is the best for them.Then again, this is just my opinion. It can be taken or left as desired.
> 
> On a less serious note, I clearly am far too fond of Kisa's nicknames for Onodera, and took this as an opportunity to explore their friendship a little. It couldn't be helped.


End file.
